Tub or truck hoist for collieries



1,51 'IJU? F. M. CASTLEMA N TU IE! OR TRUCK HOIST FOR COLLIERIES FiledMay 22 1922 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR L7. 4140M BY a: $2 Z u. ATTORNEY15mm? Ff. 'CASTLEMAN K TUB OR TRUCK HOIST FOR COLLIERIES File y 22, 1922s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, .1924.

fum'reo STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. FRANK M. OASTLEMAN, 'OF ROIHEBHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN-HENTS, TO THE UNION SWITCH d; SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSV'ALE, PENNSYL-VANIA, A CORPORATION 01' PENNSYLVANIA.

TUB OR TRUCK HOIST FOR OOLLIERIES.

Application me May 22, 1922. serial 110. 562,928.

To all wit-om it may concern:

Be it known that I, .FRANK MASTERS OASTLEMAN, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Rotherham, in the county of Yorkshire,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tub orTruck Hoists for Collieries, of which the following is'a specification.

This invention relates to tub or truck hoists for colli'eries, and moreparticularly to hoists of this character employed for the transferenceof tubs or trucks to or from the superposed stages or decks of anelevator cage or decking plant having a number of decks or stagesarranged vertically one above another.

The invention has for its'object to provide an improved construction oftub hoist of this character which shall enable the tubs or trucks to besafely and economically transported to or from any deck or stage of theelevator cage or decking plant and in Figure 1 is a view in sideelevation of a pithead decking plant comprising a tub or truck hoistconstructed in accordance with one form of the invention.

Figure 2 being a plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a view in end elevationshowing a tub hoist provided with transporting mechanism embodying theinvention.

Figure 4. being a plan 'view thereof, and Figures 5 and 6 arev viewscorresponding to a portion of Figure 3 and to Figure 4 respectivelyillustrating a modified arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that in all theconstructions shown the improved tub hoist comprises a vertical framework or staging 1 composed of steel girders or channel irons andprovided with upper and lower horizontal shafts 2 3, respectively,mounted in suitable bearings in the frame-work 1. Each of the uppershafts 2 is provided with a number of pulleys or chain wheels 4 eachadapted to co-operate With a corresponding pulley or chain wheel 5carried on the lower shaft 3 in the same vertical plane, by means of anendless rope or chain 6 passing over each pair of pulleys moral toenable a tub or truck to be trans- 7 to be raised or lowered thuseffecting their transference from one level to another.

Referringnow to the form of tub hoist shown in Figures 1 and 2 it willbe seen that the frame-work or staging 1 of the hoist is arranged to besupported upon a number of wheels or rollers 8*adapted to run on trackrails 9 arran ed at right angles to the direction in which the tubs ortrucks 7 enter or leave the hoist. The latter is thus capable of atransverse movement along its track rails 9 so as to bring the entranceto the hoist opposite any one of a number of different tracks 10, 11 atthe same level along which the tubs or trucks approach or leave thehoist. For instance, in the case of a hoist adapted to effect thetransference of empty tubs from a number of superposed decks at thepithead to a similar number of decks 12, 13 in an elevator cage 141-,each of these decks being capable of accommodating two trucks side bside with one another upon different sets 0 track rails at the samelevel, thetub hoist may first be set in a position opposite one of thesesets of track rails such as track 11, and the tubs 7 caused to enter thehoist and thence transferredto the corresponding superposed decks 13 onthe elevator cage 14:. The tub. hoist may then be moved transversely soas to be 0 posite the superposed decks 10 of the pithead decking and thedecks or stages 12 of the elevator cage 14 may then be filled withtrucks in the same manner, it being understood that the several tubs aretransferred to the elevator cage 14 by means of the power operated ramsindicated at 15, or other arrangements provided for this purose.

p The transverse movement of the tub hoist above referred to ispreferably efi'ected by means of a pneumatic or hydraulic ram 16provided with controlling valves for determining the supply of fluidunder pressure to the ram 16 so as to effect and control the transverse,movement as will be readily understood without further explanation.

. be seen that the arrangements for effecting Referring now to Figuresand 4 it will a vertical movement of the tubs 7 within the hoist consistof a number of brackets 17 secured to the chains 6 at suitable intervalsalong their length, these intervals necessarily corresponding to thedistances separating the superposed stages 10, 11, and 12, 13, of thedecking plant and elevator cage 14. Each of the brackets 17 is providedwith a pair of rollers 18 pivotally mounted at the ends of the bracket.On the inner or rising side of each of the chains 6 the rollers 18provided on the brackets 17 are arranged to engage with vertical guides19 secured to the frame-work 1 of the hoist so as to maintain thebrackets 17 truly vertical during their upward movement. Each of thebrackets 17 is provided with an inwardly projecting arm 20 on the freeend of which is mounted an angle iron 21 cross-connecting the severalbrackets 17 at the same level of the chains 6 mounted on the same pair2, 3, of horizontal shafts at one side of the hoist. The correspondingbrackets 17 on the chains 6 at the other side of the hoist are providedwith similar arms 20 projecting towards the brackets 17 on the otherchains, and also carrying angle irons 21 cross-connecting the severalbrackets at the same level secured to the chains 6 at the other side ofthe hoist. The horizontal distances separating the angle irons 21carried by the brackets 17 on the two chains 6 on opposite sides of thehoist are each arranged to be egual to the gauge of the tubs or trucks 7so that each tub or truck is supported on a air of angle irons 21constituting track ralls in the cen-- tral portion of the hoist and isthus carried upwards by the rotation of the upper and lower horizontalshafts 2, 3.

The chains 6 are secured to the brackets 17 at an intermediate point inthe length of the brackets 17 preferably the point at which theprojecting arms 20 are secured and it will be seen that the brackets 17after passing upwards within the hoist from the ower shafts 3 to theupper shafts 2 pass over the chain wheels 4 mounted on these lattershafts and, reversed in position, descend on the outer sides ofthe-chains| 6 at the two sides of the hoist. Each of the lowerhorizontal shafts 3 is provided with a worm wheel 22 rigidly securedthereto at one end thereof, a traversely arranged driving shaft 23carrying at suitable points in its length corresponding worms 24 beingprovided, each of the worms 24 being adapted to engage with the wormwheel 22 on one of the lower horizontal shafts 3. The driving shaft 23is arranged to be rotated through suitable worm wheel reduction gearing25 by an electric motor 26 provided with a magnetic clutch device 27,the. two sets of worm wheel mechanisms 22, 24 and 25 constituting aspeedcreduction gearing whereby the nor-' mal speed of rotation of thedrivm motor 26 is suitably reduced before transmlssion to the lowerhorizontal shafts 3. The latter are each provided with a pawl 28 andratchet wheel 29 for preventing any rotation of the shafts 3 in thereverse direction.

In the modified construction shown in Figures 5 and 6 the lowerhorizontal shafts 3 are arranged to be operated by means of fluidpressure, a double acting cylinder 30 containing a piston being providedat the base of the hoist. The piston rods 31, 32 extend through eitherend of the cylinder 30 and carry horizontal racks 33, 34. Rack 33 isadapted to engage with a suitable pinion 35 loosely mounted on the endof one of the horizontal shafts 3. The pinion 35 is provided with aprojecting arm 36 carrying a pawl 37 at its outer end, the pawl 37 beingadapted to engage with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 38 rigidly securedto the hori zontal shaft 3, so that the reciprocation of the piston rod31 causes the arm 36 carrying the pawl 37 to perform an oscillatingmovement through a predetermined arc, thus affecting a step by stepmovement of the ratchet wheel 38 and the horizontal shaft 3.

Owing to the limited distance separating the horizontal shafts 3 and tothe stroke of the piston necessary to effect the desired step by stepmovement of these shafts, the other horizontal shaft 3 is driven bymeans of a counter shaft 3.) connected to the horizontal shaft bysuitable gearing 40, the distance separating the counter shaft 39 andthe other horizontal shaft 3 being arranged to be sufficient toaccommodate the full stroke of the piston operated by fluid underpressure. The counter shaft 39 is provided with a ratchet wheel 41, therack 34 being adapted to engage with a pinion 42 loosely mounted on thecounter shaft 39 and provided with an arm; 43 carrying a pawl 44 adaptedto engage with the ratchet wheel 41.

The shafts 3 are each provided with a pawl 28 and a ratchet wheel 29 forensuring the rotational movement of the shafts 3 in one direction onlyas in the construction previously described.

The arrangements above described for raising the tubs or trucks byelectric, pneumatic, or hydraulic power may evidently be embodied in ahoist provided with arrangements for transverse displacement of thehoist as a whole if desired, as described for instance with reference toFigures 1 and 2, and the constructional arrangements of any of the formsdescribed may evidently be modified in various respects withoutexceeding the scope of the invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is:

1. In combination, a plurality of vertically spaced fixed decks, aplurality of tracks on each deck, an elevator cage having a plurality ofdecks spaced to register with said fixed decks, a track on each deck ofsaid cage, and a hoist arranged to transport a tub from any track on anyof said fixed decks to any track in said cage.

2. In combination, a pithead having a plurality of vertically spacedfixed decks, a plu rality of tracks on each such deck, an elevator cagehaving a plurality of decks spaced to register with said fixed decks,and a hoist interposed between the pithead and the cage for transportinga tub from any track on the pithead to any deck of said cage.

3. In combination, a pithead having a plurality of vertically spacedfixed decks, a plurality of tracks on each such deck, an elevator cagehaving a plurality of decks spaced to register with said fixed. decks,and a hoist interposed between said pithead and said cage and providedwith means for receiving a tub from said tracks, such means beingcapable of vertical movement to register with any deck, and ofhorizontal movement to register with any track.

4. In combination, a pithead having a plurality of vertically spacedfixed decks, a plurality of tracks on each such deck, an elevator cagehaving a plurality of decks spaced to register with said fixed decks, ahoist provided with tub receiving means capable of vertical movement toregister with any said deck, and a fluid pressure operated device forcausing horizontal movement of said hoist for moving said tube receivingmeans into registry with any said track.

5. In combination, a pithead having a plurality of vertically spacedfixed decks, a plurality of tracks on each such deck, an elevatorcage'having a plurality of decks spaced to register with said fixeddecks, a hoist provided with tub receiving means capable of verticalmovement to register with any said deck, and means for causinghorizontal movement of said hoist for moving said tub receiving meansinto registry with any said track.

6. In combination, a track for mine tubs, a hoist comprising twoindependent angle irons arranged to align with the two rails of saidtrack to receive a tub from said track and means for moving said twoangle irons in synchronism in a vertical plane.

7. In combination, a track for' mine tubs, a hoist comprising twoindependent angle irons arranged to align with the two rails of saidtrack to receive a tubfrom said track, t'wo endless chains disposed inspaced parallel vertical planes. sprocket wheels for driving said chainsin synchronism, a support ing member fixed to one said chain andarranged to align with one. rail of said track, and a second supportingmember fixed to the second chain and arranged to align with theremaining rail of said track.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK M. CASTLEMAN.

